Phonograph mechanism



Marc 25, 1941. i R, H. RICH 2,236,275

PHONOGRAZH MECHANISM Filed Dec. 18, 1937 Fig.

Fez

INVENTOR.

RUJSELI-H. RICH W m, h'lsATTO EY.

Patented Mar. 25, 1941 PATENT" OFFICE.

rnouooaarn mscnamsm Russell 11. Rich, Elyrla, on; assignor to TheGeneral Industries Company, Elyria, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application December 18, 1931, Serial No. 30,542

8 Claims.

This invention relates to phonograph mechanisms. and relates moreparticularly to means associated with the turntable supportadapted toretard vibration transmitted from the driving mechanism therefor. I

It has heretofore been proposed to provide a support for a phonographturntable formed of cushioning material such as rubber and wherein theturntable hub rests upon a horizontally ex- 10 tending flange of thesupport and a short vertically extending sleeve portion of the supportis disposed intermediate the driving shaft and the.

turntable hub for a short distance, this construction being illustratedin a United States patent to Schmittgen, No. 1,979,350, issued November6,

I have devised a support for phonograph tumtables wherein a rubber orthe like cushioning element comprises a portion encasing the upper endof the drive shaft and insulating the drive shaft against electricalshock' to a person operating the phonograph and a vertically extendingportion encircling the drive shaft substantially throughout the extentof the turntable hub provlding a considerable area for damping vibra-Additionally, the contact of the support ale-- 3o =ment and turntablehub substantially throughing contact therebetweem It is an object of myinvention therefore to provide an improved support means for aphonograph turntable which will minimize the transmission of vibrationfrom the driving mechanism to the turntable and a record supportedthereby.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved support forphonograph turntables which will insulate the drive shaft against thetransmission of electrical shock to an operator.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved support means forphonograph turntables which will prevent thedistortion of the thetransmission of vibrations from the driving mechanism.

Another object of my invention is to provide in connection with theturntable shaft of a phonograph-or like mechanism, means for ab-- outthe hub extent increases the frictional driva sound record supported onthe turntable through consideration of the following description anddrawing in which:

Fig. l is a cross-sectional view, illustrating in simplified form aphonograph mechanism, including the turntable. drive shaft, and supportembodying my invention;

. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view to an enlarged scale of the supportof Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a section taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 1. Referring now tothe drawing, I have indicated generally at It a housing within which iscontained a driving motor and transmission gears for driving a verticalturntable shaft l2, illustrated as projecting upwardly out of thehousing ill.

The shaft I2 is illustrated as comprising a lower tapered portion and anupper cylindrical portion but the shaft may be cylindrical throughoutits extent if desired. 1

A pin ll extends diametrically through the shaft above the housing. Ametal clutch device or washer it rests upon the pin it, the perforationof the washer being larger than the shaft l2, and the washer atdiametrically opposite portions thereof where it rests upon the Pin 13is provided with cooperating pairs of downwardly projecting lugs lS-IIon opposite sides of the pin it. Thus the lugs provide two notches whichembrace opposite end portions of the 'pin it. The lugs II are preferablypressed out of the metal of the main body portion of the washer H, asbest illustrated in Fig. 3.

' The construction so far described constitutes no essential part .of myinvention and any well known form of driving mechanism may be emmend: vv

I have generally ment formed of rubber or the like cushioning materialand 'which, when employed with electri-. cally operable phonographs, isformed of material having suitable electrical insulating qualities. Theelement It preferably comprises a central generally tubular portion H,a. radially outwardly extending flange ll, anv inverted-cup or capportion it. when the shaft I2 is provided with a shoulder as shown inFigs. 1 and 2 herein, the internal walls of the element 16 are offsetindicated at na support eleto provide a shoulder 20 abutting saidshoulder bit , shaft 82 to the turntable.

ord may be centered on the upper end of shaft l2 in the usual way. Thetubular portion I1 is substantially co-extensive with the turntable hub23 and the external walls of this portion are preferably tapered toinsure a tight engagement with the inner walls of the turntable hubalthough I contemplate that the external walls of portion I! may becylindrical, if desired. The internal diameter of the cap portion l9substantially corresponds to the outer diameter of the shaft l2 toinsure a gripping engagement therebetween whereby the support elementmay be rotated by the shaft. The inner walls of the hub portion 23 maybe progressively increased in diameter or of cylindrical form, dependenton the shape of shaft is and the element l6.

The flange it of thesupport element in the form illustrated overlies awasher I which is preferably of approximately the same diameter as saidflange and the frictional contact therebetween, together with thegripping engagement of the cap portion is and the "tubular portion I!with the drive shaft l2, effects the driving engagement between theshaft and the support element. Any vibration transmitted by the drivingmechanism to the drive shaft will tend to be transmitted from the driveshaft to the turntable through the support element. However, due to thefact that the tubular portion of the element it is. interposed betweenshaft l2 and. portion 23 of the turntable, such vibration is dampened ormaterially reduced so that vibrations of the motor are absorbed in thecushion element or support it instead of being transmitted through thebore therethrough spaced from the shaft and since the pin it may moverelative to the washer is, any tendency to transmit vibration to thewasher is minimized.

It is to be understood that I contemplate the use of a support elementwithout the flange 68 having only a shaft encasing tubular portion iiand a cap portion is and that such an embodiment is within the spirit ofmy invention, but

., I preferably the flange it! is employed to cushion and electricallyinsulate the entire turntable from the shaft.

It should also be noted that the portion of the driveshaft which mightordinarily be touched by a person placing a record on the turntable orwhen operating the phonograph, being covered by the inverted cap ofelectrically insulated material, in event of current being transmittedto the shaft due to a short" in the circuit, there will be no danger oftransmitting electrical shock to an operator.

Although I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention, Icontemplate that, numerous and extensive departures may be madetherefrom without departing from the spirit of my invention and thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a vertically disposed driving shaft'of aphonograph and a turntable having a downwardly projecting, hub, of asupport on the shaft for the turntable, a cushioning support elementhaving a radial flange abutting and frictionally supportingthe turntablehub, the support element including a generally tubular portion havingits outer walls engageable with the inner walls of the hub, and aninverted cup portion shrouding the shaft upper end, said cup portionformed integralwith the tubular portion.

As the washer H has 2. The combination with a vertically disposeddriving shaft of a phonograph mechanism and a turntable having adownwardly projecting hub, of a supporting washer rotatably mounted onthe shaft, a support element formed of cushioning material adapted todamp vibrations comprising a flange abutting the washer and frictionallysupporting the hub, a generally tubular portion having its inner wallsconforming to the shape of the shaft and its outer. walls engaging thehub inner walls substantially throughout the extent of the hub walls,and the tubular portion terminating in a cap portion encasing the upperend of the shaft and providing an electrical insulating cover for saidshaft end.

3. The combination with a driving shaft of a phonograph mechanism and aturntable having a downwardly projecting hub, of cushioning means on theshaft for the turntable comprising a generally tubular portiontelescoped over said shaft and disposed between'said shaft and saiddownwardly disposed hub portion for a considerable portion of itslength, and having a cap portion formed of electrical insulatingmaterial projected over the upper end of the shaft and encasing the sameand a lower flange portion adapted to substantially underlie the lowerend of said hub.

4. The combination with a vertically disposed driving shaft of aphonograph mechanism and a turntable having a downwardly projecting hub,of a support on the shaft for the turntable, of a washer rotatablysupported by the shaft, a cushioning element having a flange portionabutting the washer frictionally supporting the turntable hub and avertical extending portion having a closed end grippingly engaging theshaft.

5. The combination with a vertically disposed driving shaft of aphonograph mechanism and a turntable having a downwardly projecting hub,of a support on the shaft for the turntable, of a washer rotatablysupported by the shaft, a cushioning element having a flange portionabutting the wesher frictionally supporting the tumtable hub and avertical extending portion grippingly engaging the shaft and enclosingthe upper end portion.

6. A phonograph turntable support element adapted to be interposedbetween a vertically disposed driving shaft having a supporting elementrotatabletherewith and a turntable having a downwardly projecting hub,said support element being formed of cushioning material havingelectrical insulating properties and comprising a portion of invertedcup form for telescopingly and tightly engaging the shaft, and a radialflange extending from the lower portion of the support element fordisposition between the supporting element and the lower face of thehub, to electrically insulate the tip portion of the shaft and cushionthe turntable from the shaft.

'1. In a phonograph, the combination of a motor including a spindle, aturntable having a hub provided with a bore, and means coupling said hubto said spindle to effect driving engagement therebetween, said meansincluding a soft rubber sleeve surrounding said spindle and receivedwithin said bore characterized in that said spindle protrudes above saidturntable whereby to threadedly receive a record, and characterizedfurther in that said rubber sleeve completely encases said spindlewhereby the protruding end of said spindle is vibration insulated fromthe record. v

8. In a phonograph, the combination of a mo- 2,230,275 3 tor including aspindle, a turntable having a hub conical and said conical spindleportion .1 fits provided with a bore, and means coupling said hub tosaid spindle to eflect driving engagement therebetween, said meansincluding a soft rubber sleeve surrounding said spindle and received.within said bore characterized in that said spindle is substantiallyconical along a portion of its length and terminates in a substantiallycylindrical portion at its upper extremity, character- 10 ized furtherin that said bore is also substantially within said bore, saidcylindrical portion protruding above said turntable whereby tothreadedly receive a record, and characterized still further in thatsaid rubber sleeve completely encases said spindle whereby saidcylindrical spindle portion is vibration insulated from the record andsaid conical spindle portion is vibration insulated from said turntable.

RUSSELL H. RICH. 10

